Rio Grande County, CO Water Table Trend
Rio Grande County's groundwater trend, from USGS's own readings
Rio Grande County's long-term well puts the trend at 7.4 ft per decade, declining faster than most declining counties, based on 480 measurements since 1968.
One well stands in for Rio Grande County's whole aquifer here, the honest simplification every page on this site carries.
What the well actually measured
The most recent reading put water 39.6 ft below land surface. Readings span 1968-01-15 to 2024-09-05, 480 measurements from USGS well USGS-374210106053001 (Na04000815ccc Rg37-1), part of the National Water Information System. The qualifying bar and the OLS fit behind this trend are documented in the methodology guide.
Where Rio Grande County ranks
Of the 1,449 US counties with a usable trend, Rio Grande County ranks 1358th from fastest-rising to fastest-declining, 1 is the fastest-rising water table measured, 1449 the fastest-declining. About 11,132 people live in Rio Grande County, Colorado. See the fastest-moving counties guide for how Rio Grande County stacks up against the most extreme cases nationally.
What a declining table means for a well pump
Because Rio Grande County's water table is actually declining, not just a general worry, a well owner here should consider comparing home-warranty plans that cover well-pump failure before one happens.
A dropping table says nothing about water quality
Whether Rio Grande County's water table is rising or falling is independent of what's actually in the water. Depletion can concentrate naturally-occurring minerals, so it's worth checking directly with a water test rather than assuming a depth trend says anything about quality.